BTW, it is at least not obvious in the context of the other thread that Kropotkin is passing a comment himself about whether Lorenzo was foolhardy; rather, point is that the Noyes article brings some light to that question.

The Noyes piece is a very interesting read. Pulls together decisions of doctors at trackside with published comments from the Spanish surgeon who set Lorenzo's collarbone.

A key quote from that surgeon, named as Joaquin Rodriguez:

“Lorenzo had broken the same collarbone before and this was an unusual break with a fragment quite displaced and very close to both the artery and a vein that pass just beneath the bone. This type of fracture can cause very serious injuries to veins. This type of fracture should not be underestimated. Most collarbone breaks are not dangerous but this one was somewhat dangerous. I advised against him riding but when we all saw that he had it in his head to race, we advised him about movements to avoid and warnings to heed in the race.”

Lots more from a variety of sources in the Noyes article.

I have two reactions:

1. Lorenzo had a lot more at stake in that race than I realised.

2. Lorenzo had so much at stake that I can't quite manage to see his decision to race as well judged.

I suppose a decision to race a MotoGP bike even when fully fit is foolhardy by many people's standards. Nevertheless, it seems to me the courageous decision from Lorenzo in these circumstances would have been to sit out the race and perhaps even the next one.

Thoughts? (Probably helpful to read the full Noyes article before commenting.)

If the doctors clear Lorenzo to race who is he to argue? Was DP cleared to race when he broke his collar bone and sat out several races? That would put a different light on it for me.
Sure there was great risk for Lorenzo at Assen but the doctors cleared him so why not? It's not a sport for those that are risk adverse.

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I haven't heard anything, so assume Lorenzo is planning to race again this coming weekend in Germany.

If he raced 36 hours after breaking it, I was just assuming he was riding in Germany, come hell or highwater.

Did you see him get off of the bike last week.......I've been, erm critical, of Lorenzo for a long time about a lot of things, but that was about as raw of a display of cajones as I have seen from a racer is a long time.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RottenScummyTroll

Show folks something with a clutch and carburetor, and it's like teaching a baboon to use a Macbook.

Had he crashed in the race at Assen, could have been a very serious medical emergency, if the installed parts came loose, and recovery time from that one could have been very long indeed. He also did against his doctors recommendations. But he took the risk, and he did not crash. For me, that was still a bit foolhardy, although I'm obviously not as brave as him.

If he raced 36 hours after breaking it, I was just assuming he was riding in Germany, come hell or highwater.

Did you see him get off of the bike last week.......I've been, erm critical, of Lorenzo for a long time about a lot of things, but that was about as raw of a display of cajones as I have seen from a racer is a long time.

Agreed. Very Doohanish. But I shudder to think what would have happened even if he had a low speed get off. The heart being so close to the collarbone, if he crashed and the plate/screws/broken collarbone tore the artery, he could have bled out in his leathers before they got him to help. And fast, too, as his heart rate would be elevated from exertion and adrenaline

Agreed. Very Doohanish. But I shudder to think what would have happened even if he had a low speed get off. The heart being so close to the collarbone, if he crashed and the plate/screws/broken collarbone tore the artery, he could have bled out in his leathers before they got him to help. And fast, too, as his heart rate would be elevated from exertion and adrenaline

Exactly why I said it was balls.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RottenScummyTroll

Show folks something with a clutch and carburetor, and it's like teaching a baboon to use a Macbook.

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